In the wake of the second consecutive Closing the Gap report which shows only four of 19 targets on track, the Australian Greens urge the Labor government to show ambition and courage to get real outcomes on First Nations justice.
The report comes as First Nations people around the country are still reeling from the attempted bombing of an Invasion Day rally in Boorloo Perth, an incident which was shamefully underreported in media and which was not immediately designated a terrorist attack, despite the crowd of more than 2500 people being predominantly First Nations people.
The Greens urge the Labor Government to respond with stronger leadership to this escalation in racist violence by prioritising Closing the Gap through Truth and Treaty, ending the epidemic of over-incarceration and deaths in custody, and urgent action on child removal and cultural heritage laws.
The Greens have previously called for a Makarrata truth commission leading to a Treaty, with genuine First Nations leadership, guaranteed staffing and a clear timeline for delivery.
The Greens reiterate the urgent demand that all 339 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody be implemented.
The Commonwealth must use every lever to end the disproportionate incarceration and preventable deaths of First Nations people, including raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility.
Leader of the Australian Greens and First Nations Justice spokesperson, Larissa Waters:
“The report today is sobering reading. More First Nations people are incarcerated and dying by suicide than last year. More First Nations kids are out of their homes and not on track to meet developmental milestones.
“I am deeply distressed that the outcomes today show almost no progress from last year’s report. First Nations people deserve much bolder action from the Government on Truth, Treaty and deaths in custody. Yet the government has stripped funding for a truth-telling commission and refuses to step in to end draconian States and Territory laws that put First Nations kids behind bars at alarming rates.
“We need to be real about the impacts of systemic racism, intergenerational trauma and chronic under-investment in Aboriginal-led responses. Labor must move beyond incremental measures if they are to close the gap by 2031 as promised.
“The Yoorook Justice Commission’s truth-telling work established a treaty pathway in Victoria; the Commonwealth should adopt and scale that approach nationally.
“Labor’s failure to implement the recommendations from the Deaths in Custody Royal Commission has led to the highest Aboriginal deaths in custody in over 40 years.
“Additional funding is welcome, but without accountable delivery plans and genuine community partnership the gap will not close.
“The recent alleged murders of two First Nations women in Lake Cargelligo were not isolated incidents. First Nations women are more likely to be killed by a current or former partner, more likely to be hospitalised by violence, less likely to access support to leave violent relationships, and too often ignored when they report violence. We welcome the Our Ways, Strong Ways, Our Voices plan this week, but it should not have taken so long for government to listen to First Nations women calling for a standalone, community-led plan to end violence.
“The Greens are also alarmed by the continuing delays in meaningful cultural heritage reform while major projects continue to be approved against community wishes. It has been years since the destruction at Juukan Gorge and First Nations people still have to sue to defend their cultural heritage and water rights. The law must be reformed now so consent, self-determination and First Nations decision-making are central to approvals.
“And outside the report outcomes, the attempted bombing of an Invasion Day rally in Boorloo was a chilling reminder that racism and far-right hatred targeting First Nations people is escalating. The time for leadership is now.
“Communities have the solutions, Labor needs to show the political will to implement structural reform led by First Nations people toward truth, treaty and justice.”